Indicating fuse plug and holder.



PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908.

C. E. MENTZER.

INDIGATING'FUSE PLUG AND HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1906.

, tridge is readily removable from the casing.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

CLAUDE E. MENTZER, OF DENVER, COLO-BADO, A SIGNOROF ONE-THIRD TO LEON A.FREE- MAN AND ONE-THIRD TO GEORGE L- BETTCHER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

INDICATING FUSE PLUG- AND HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

` Patented sept. 1, 190s.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE E. MENTZER, a' citizen of the United States,residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements. in Indicating Fuse Plugsand Holders; and I do 'declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvedfuse plug and holder.

tion consists in the fact that means are provided whereby the particularfuse burned out on a switch board containing a considerable number offuses, is visually indicated without .opening the casing or removing thefuse therefrom, since the casing or holder is provided at its outer orforward extremity with a transparent member to permit the inspection ofthe fuse cartridge within the holder, the said transparent member beinglocated directly in front of the indicating device, the

arts being arranged in such a manner that,

1f the fuse is blown or burned, the said device by its changed positionwill clearly indicate the fact to an observer.l

In my improved construction the car- This is accomplished by forming thecasing in two' parts which are hinged together to vpermit the freeopening of the casing after taking it off the cap and removing it from`the plug; while the mans for visually detectin a blown fuse consistsini running a wirek tglirough the fuse, the outer extremity of the wirebeing connectedwith a small plate'which is. actedv on by a spring, so`that a when the fuse is blown vvor broken, the'wire which holds-thesmallplate'is also broken andthe tension of the spring forcesA the plateoutwardly againsta transparent diaphragm through which the plateisvisible froma po-l sition in front of the switch board thus clearlyindicating that the fuse has been blown.

Having briefly outlined my improved con? struction as'wellas thefunction'itis intend!" v ed toperform, I pro'ceedto describe the p.sametin detail: reference be'ingmade tothe accompany' g drawing inwhich is illus trated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a section taken through a switch board,fuse plug and holder equipped with my improvements. Fig. 2 is anendelevation of Fig. 1 looking in the di rection of arrow 2. Fig.A 3 is adetail elevation of the casing which incloses the cartridge. Fig. 4 is asection taken through the casing showing the cartridge in elevation.Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the cartridge in detail before the fuse isblown. Fig. 6 is a similar view after the fuse is blown. Fig. 7 is asectional view of the cap shown in detail. The same reference charactersindicate the A same parts in all the views. A very important feature ofmy construclatter forming electrical contact with the two part casing10. .This casing consists of a narrow cyhndrical part 12 of insulatingmaterial assing through inclosed by the metal part 12A which overlapsthe porcelain members 13 at the inner extremity ofthe casing, while atits outer extremity the mtal part or sheath 12A is bent around the outerextremity of the insulatingv cylinderr as shown at 14 and projectsinwardly and rearwardly forming a sort of spring, giving -the outerextremity of the c aslng a considerable degree of yielding capacity. Be-

tween this outer edge of the casing and the cap 15 which is screwed uponthe casing, is

locatedV a ring 16 between which and the outer extremityy of the cap islocated a trans,- parent diaphragm 17.

The cartridge which is inclosed by the'casing 10, consists of two end'members 18 and 19 connected by an insulating tubular',mem-l ber 2Owherebythe end'members areinsulated from each other. Through the centerof this cartridge and connecting the end members is'placeda fuse 21through which is passed a w1ref22' Whose inner extremity is connected'`with the, en d member 19 'fo'f the ber 18 and the plate' 23.7," Thewire 22 jpasses loosely throughifthe'outer memberr 18 of the 'cartridesothat when the, fuse and the wire` g are bro enas illustrated'in Fig.6,-the spring `cartridge,'and whos'eouter extremity fiscorljA "nectedwith ajdis'k 23 acted upon by a coil A spring 24 interposedfb'etweenythe end meme"v 24 acting on the small plate which may be termed theindicator or indicating plate,

throws the latter outwardly against the transparent diaphragm 17 thusclearly indieating the particular fuse which has been blown.

In order to facilitate the removal from the case of the cartridge havingthe blown fuse, I

form the case in two parts which are con- 10 nected by a hinge pin25which passes through the eyes of hinge members 26 and 27 which are heldin place byconducting pins 28 passed through the porcelain members 13and connected with contacts 29. These contacts 29 15 together with theinner extremities of the pins 28, engage the end member 19 of theycartridge and form an electrical connection between said end member andthe electrode 6 through the medium of the hinge members 26 20 and 27both of which are engaged by one extremity of the electrode 6.

From the foregoing descri tion the use and operation of my improvedevice will be readily understood.

Assuming that the device is constructed as heretofore explained, thecartridge is placed within the casing and the casing inserted in thescrew socket 8. The cap 15 is then a plied to the casing taking care toplace tle ring 16 and the transparent diaphragm 17 in the cap beforescrewing it to position. As the cap is screwed upon thecasing, the ring16v engages the yielding outer extremity of the casing which yieldingextremity acts onthe cartridge to force its end member 19 tightlyagainst the inner extremities of the pins 28 whereby electrical contactis made with the electrode.

The path of the current may be said to be from the circuit wire Athrough the electrode 7, the metal lining 9 of thecap 8, the metal part12A of the casing 10, to' the outer end member 1 8 of the cartridge andthence through the fuse 21 to the end member 19 and thence through thepins 28 and the hinge members v26, 27 to the electrode 6 and thencethrough the other pole of the source (not shown) to the conductor B. Nowassuming that the fuse is broken or blown as indicated in Fig. 6,

the spring 24 acting on the indicating device 23, will throw the latter.outwardly against the transparent diaphragm 17, thus making theindicator visible at a glance.

- Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:l

1. In a fuse cartridge and holder, the combination of a cartridgeprovided with a fuse,

an indicating device released by the burning of the fuse, a holderinclosing the cartridge and provided with a transparent member locatedin front of the indicating device, and

means for causing the said device to move to facilitate detection of theburned fuse.

2. A fuse cartridge provided with-a fuse and a slender device passingthrough the fuse seams and connected with an indicating device, and acoil spring adapted to act on the indicating device to move the samewhen the fuse is burned or blown.

3. A fuse cartridge composed of conducting end members, an insulatingmember connecting the conducting members, a fuse inclosed by thecartridge member and connecting the two end members, a wire passingthrough the fuse and made fast at one of the end members of thecartridge, the outer extremity of the wire passing loosely through vtheother end member, an indicating device connected with the outerextremity of the wire beyond the end member of the cartridge, and a a0coil spring interposed between the end member of the cartridge and theindicating device for the purpose set forth.

4. A fuse cartridge provided with a fuse,

a spring-actuated indicating device held against movement when the fuseis intact but released and actuated by the spring when the fuse isburned, a shell inclosing the cartridge, and a cap applied to the outerextremity of the shell and having a transparent diaphragm located atsome distance from the indicating device to allow the latter to movesufficiently for visual indication.

5. The combination of a fuse cartridge provided with a fuse, aspring-actuated indieating device normally held against movement butreleased to be actuated by the spring when the fuse is burned, theindicating device being located at the outer extremity of the fusecartridge, a casing inclosing the fuse cartridge, a cap applied to theouter extremity of the casing, a ring interposed between the cap and theouter extremity of the cartridge, and a transparent diaphragm locatedbetween the ring and the outer extremity of the cap, the constructionbeing such that a chamber is left between the transparent diaphragmandthe indicating device for the purpose set forth.

6. In combination, a fuse plug having a window, a fuse in said plug,indicating means held normally remote from the said window and means tocause the said indicating means to advance towards the said window byaction of the blowing of the fuse. f

7. In combination, a fuse `plug having a diaphanous window, a fuse insaid plug, indicating means held normally remote from said window,andmeans to cause contact lof the said indicating means and the saidwindow byactionpf the blowing of the fuse. r

8.' In combination, a fuse plug having a window, a fuse containedtherein, a plate. held normally remote from the said Window; .f andmeans to project the said late against glie window by action of the bowing of the 9. In combination, a fuse plug having a window, a fusecontained therein, a plate, means adapted to hold the plate remoteffromsaid Window, and to release the same by action ofthe blowing ofthe fuse,and means to project the released plate toward the said window. f

10. ln combination, a fuse plug having a window, a hollow fuse therein,a plate nor mally held remote from the said window by a connectionextending in close proximity to the said fuse, and a spring engagingsaid plate and adapted to project the atter towards the window when thesaid connection is broken.

11. ln combination, a fuse plug having a window, a plug cartridgecontained therein, a fuse within said cartridge, a plate having aconnection with the said cartridge adapted to be broken by action of theblowing of the fuse, and means to rject the said plate towards the saidwin ow subsequent to breaking the connection.

12. In combination, afuse plu having a window, a plug cartridge contalnetherein, a i l In testimony whereof I ai'lix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

CLAUDE E. MENTZER. Witnesses: I

A. J. OBRIEN, DENA NELSON..

